Hopper



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illlllllllllblllllll till lillftlrllllil Mm M HOPPER Myles Standish, Omaha, Nebn, and William D. Shadwick, Council Blulis, Iowa, assignors to Gmaha Standard, Inn, Council Blufis, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application November 8, 1955, Serial No. 545,754 2 Claims. Cl. 222-502 This invention relates, as indicated to a hopper, and more particularly to a hopper having hinged sides.

In the past, hinged sides have been employed in hoppers having hinged doors. One of the disadvantages of employing movable sides with a hinged door is that it is not possible to provide for a large lateral swinging move ment of the side as the door is opened, and at the same time have the side at a high initial pitch. The hinge type doors are pivotally mounted to the hopper at their outer edges and the foot end of the movable side rests upon the door inside the pivot point. In such an arrangement, if the foot end of the side is adjacent the pivot, the movement of the side is at a minimum when the doors are opened. If the foot end of the side rests at a point spaced inwardly from the door pivot there is more movement of the side, but the initial pitch of the side is less.

For maximum efiiciency in discharging a load from a hopper it will be seen that it is desirable to have a high initial pitch to the side, so that when the door is opened the load Will be discharged rapidly. This can only be accomplished by locating the foot end of the side adjacent the outer edge of the doors. It is also desirable, in a hopper having movable sides, that the sides swing laterally the largest possible distance in order to break away from the load.

In the usual hopper, the side walls are welded to the end walls to provide a rigid construction. However, with the break away or movable sides, welded connections between the end and side walls are not possible.

It is, therefore an object of this invention to provide a hopper with movable sides of a high initial pitch, and with a large lateral swinging movement as the doors are opened.

It is another object of the invention to provide a rigid construction for a hopper with movable sides.

Yet another object of the invention is to construct a discharge opening for hoppers used on trailers and the like, having doors which open so as to clear the ground.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become evident as the description proceeds and from an examination of the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment of the invention. In the drawing, the single figure is an end view in elevation of a hopper embodying the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a hop per 19 which may be mounted on a frame 11 of a trailer and the like, having end walls 15 and side walls 2%. The side Walls are hinged at 21 for lateral swinging movement about their hinges. Each of the side walls has a lower foot end 22 that may be bent inwardly or otherwise formed so as to slide freely upon the hopper doors 30.

The ends 15 of the hopper extend beyond the side walls and are connected together at their lower outer portions by a pair of tubular members 40 so as to give the hopper a rigid construction. In order to allow a large lateral movement of the sides, the tubular members are spaced outwardly from the foot end of the side walls.

atent 'ice Journaled on the tubular members 40 are braces 42 which may be fastened to brackets 46 on the side walls by bolts 44, to prevent lateral movement of the sides when the doors are opened. If it is desired to have the sides break away from the load, the bolts are removed from the brackets, and the braces are pivoted downwardly to inoperative position so that the sides are free to move. When the braces 42 are fastened to the sides 20 by bolts 44, the sides remain immobile as the doors 30 are opened.

A pair of hopper doors 30, located at the discharge opening of the hopper under the foot end 22 of the side Walls, are supported by a pair of suspension links 31 that are pivotally mounted on the end walls 15 of the hopper. The doors open from the position shown in full lines to the dotted line position in the drawing by swinging laterally about pivots 32.

The meeting edges 34 of the doors come together, when they are closed, as shown in full line in the drawing, to support a load in the hopper and prevent discharge thereof. The doors may be inclined upwardly and outwardly from their meeting edges.

When the doors are in closed position the lower foot end 22 of the sides is located at a point adjacent the outer edges 33. in this way, the sides 219 have a steep initial pitch when the doors are opened.

The pivot points 32 about which the doors 30 swing are located above and laterally from the middle of the doors so that they drop instantly by gravity when opened. If it is desired to have the sides break away from the load as the doors are opened, the braces 42 are disconnected from the brackets 46 on the sides. As the doors are opened to the dotted line posin'on shown in the drawing, the foot end 22 slides on the doors allowing the sides to pivot and swing laterally. In this way the pitch of the sides is increased and moved away from the material contained in the hopper.

As the sides are moved laterally they break the support under the material from the relatively narrow opening A-A to the wider opening B-B. By breaking the support the load is rapidly discharged.

A cable 51, which passes over a pulley S2, is adapted to open and close the doors as it is loosened and tightened by any suitable mechanism, not shown. Fastened to the end of the cable 51 is a yoke 54. Between the yoke and the doors are a pair of links 56 which are pivotally connected at 58 to the yoke and at 59 to each of the doors. it will be realized that any suitable mechanism may be used for opening and closing the doors, such as direct acting air and hydraulic cylinders, chains, cables and the like.

From the foregoing the operation of the device should be apparent. The doors 39 are held in closed position by a cable 51. As the cable is loosened it allows the doors to swing open by gravity about pivot points 32 located outwardly from the center of the doors. If it is desired to have the sides 20 break away from the load, the braces 42 are first disconnected from the brackets 46 and allowed to fall away. Then, as the doors are opened, the foot end of the side walls rests on the doors and slides downwardly allowing the doors to swing laterally, moving away from the load in the hopper'to break its sup port causing it to be rapidly discharged.

In the drawing and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Changes in form and in the proportion of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalents are contemplated, as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, without departing from the spirit or scope a side walls to prevent lateral movements thereof, and a aeeaasa of this invention as further definedQin the vfollowing claims.

We claim:

1. A hopper with bottom discharge opening compris 'ing, a pair of end walls a pairiof side walls pivotally mounted for lateral swinging movements, said end walls having lower outer portions extending beyond s aidgside walls," connecting membersfastened between the opposite lower outer portions of said end walls on each side,

'brace'members journaled on said connecting members,

for lateral swinging movements, said end walls having lower, outer'portions extending beyond said sidewalls,

connecting members fastened between the opposite lower outer portions of said end walls, means for preventing lateral swinging movements of said side walls, and a pair of laterally swinging doors, said side walls having lower foot members for resting on said doors.-

vReferences Cited the iile of this patent UNITED STATES' PATENTS 540,484 Cropp June 4, 1895 1,001,706 Symons' A 29; 1911 r 1,421,439 Finckh July 4, 1922 1,427,451 r Finckh Aug; 29, 1922 1,427,539

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